Begonia plant named ‘BKPBECSA’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘BKPBECSA’, characterized by its broadly upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; moderately freely basal branching habit; medium-size leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; and flowers that are salmon pink in color on both the upper and lower surfaces.

Botanical designation: Begonia hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPBECSA’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Begonia Plant Named ‘BKPBEELA’ (U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 13/507,634).

Applicant: Annie Cornelia Beekenkamp.

Filed: Concurrently with this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia hiemalis, commercially referred toas a Elatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BKPBECSA’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. The objectiveof the breeding program was to develop new freely branching and freelyflowering Begonia plants with attractive foliage and flower colors.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in September, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Begoniahiemalis identified as code number 06-289-03, not patented, as thefemale, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Begonia hiemalisidentified as code number 6500604, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inAmstelveen, The Netherlands in October, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by tip cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands sinceFebruary, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Begoniaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘BKPBECSA’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘BKPBECSA’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded        plant habit.    -   2. Moderately freely basal branching habit.    -   3. Medium-size leaves.    -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Flowers that are salmon pink in color on both the upper and        lower surfaces.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia are lighter green in        color than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia are glabrous whereas        leaves of plants of the female parent selection are slightly        pubescent.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia have darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have double type flowers whereas        plants of the male parent selection have single type flowers.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia have larger flowers than plants of        the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the Begonia‘BKPBEELA’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Patent application Ser. No.13/507,634. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘BKPBEELA’ differ primarily inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia flower about five days later than        plants of ‘BKPBEELA’.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia are not as freely flowering as        plants of ‘BKPBEELA’.

Plants of the new Begonia can also be compared to plants of the Begonia‘Ceveca’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inAmstelveen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed fromplants of ‘Ceveca’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia were not as compact as plants of        ‘Ceveca’.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia had lighter-colored leaves than        plants of ‘Ceveca’.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Ceveca’ differed in flower        color as plants of ‘Ceveca’ had bright pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘BKPBECSA’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close up view of the upper andlower surfaces of typical flower buds, flowers and leaves of ‘BKPBECSA’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and followingobservations and measurements were grown in 12-cm containers during thewinter in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands.During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures rangedfrom 18° C. to 19° C. and light levels averaged 7,000 lux. Plants weretwelve weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia hiemalis ‘BKPBECSA’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia            hiemalis identified as code number 06-289-03, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia            hiemalis identified as code number 6500604, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 20 days at            temperatures of about 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About 35 to 36 days at temperatures of about 21° C.            to 23° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color; plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to            form tubers.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Broadly upright, somewhat            outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; plant shape            roughly globular; moderately freely basal branching with            about five basal branches per plant; moderately vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 19.8 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 29.1 cm.        -   Branch description.—Length: About 10.8 cm. Diameter: About            7 mm. Internode length: About 2.2 cm. Texture: Sparsely            pubescent. Aspect: Upright to about 30° from vertical.            Color, developing: Close to 144B. Color, fully developed:            Between 143B and 144A.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 10.1 cm. Width: About 7.6 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate.            Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Oblique. Margin: Bi-serrate.            Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture,            lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Venation pattern:            Palmate; reticulate. Color: Developing leaves, upper            surface: Close to N137A to N137B. Developing leaves, lower            surface: Close to 176B to 176C. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Darker than between 139A and 147A; venation, close            to 143A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to            176B; venation, close to 146C. Petioles: Length: About            4.6 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to            146C distally strongly tinged with close to 185A. Color,            lower surface: Close to 146C to 146D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Female and sterile male rotate flowers            arranged in axillary compound cymes; freely flowering habit            with about six flowers per cyme and about 120 flowers            developing per plant; flowers face upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten            weeks after planting; long flowering period, plants flower            freely and continuously from spring until autumn in The            Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 14.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 11.7 cm.        -   Female flowers.—Diameter: About 4.7 cm. Height: About            3.2 cm. Flower buds: Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About            1.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 50B. Tepals: Quantity            per flower and arrangement: About six in a single whorl.            Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 2.1 cm. Shape: Ovate to            obovate. Apex: Obtuse to abruptly acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            slightly velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close            to 48C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 48B; towards            the base, close to 48A. Fully opened, upper surface: Between            48D and 49A; towards the base, close to 37A; color does not            change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 52C; color does not change with development.        -   Male flowers.—Diameter: About 6.6 cm. Height: About 1.9 cm.            Flower buds: Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter (flattened):            About 1.5 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate to broadly oblong when            flattened. Color: Close to 39B. Tepals: Quantity per flower            and arrangement: About five in a single whorl. Length: About            3.4 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape: Ovate to obovate. Apex:            Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Color: When opening,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 39B. Fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 48D; towards the base, close to 38A; color            does not change with development. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 48C; towards the base, close to 48A; color            does not change with development. Tepaloids: Tepaloid            development has been observed only on male flowers of the            new Begonia plant. Quantity per flower and arrangement:            About 18 in several whorls. Length: About 2.2 cm. Width:            About 1.1 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            slightly velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close            to 49A; towards the base, close to 13C. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 48D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            38A; towards the apex, close to 55C; towards the base, close            to 13B; color does not change with development. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 48D; color does not change            with development.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.9 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Angle: About 30° from branch axis. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 152B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Angle: About 40° from the peduncle axis. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 173B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Stamen development has not            been observed on male flowers of plants of the new Begonia.            Pistils: Present only on female flowers. Quantity per            flower: About six. Length: About 9 mm. Style length: About            4 mm. Style color: Close to 154B. Stigma color: Close to            12A. Ovary color: Between 175A and 180B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development production has            not been observed on plants of the new Begonia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Begonia has not been observed on plants of the new Begonia.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 14° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘BKPBECSA’ asillustrated and described.